5 cities for last-minute Labor Day escapes

It’s not too late to plan a cheap holiday getaway

If you’re bummed out at the thought of spending yet another Labor Day weekend barbecuing in the backyard or watching the town’s lackluster fireworks fizzle through the sky, take heart: There’s still time to get a deal on a getaway.

Many travel sites are advertising late-summer discounts. Both CheapOair and Priceline have pages dedicated to Labor Day travel deals, including packages that include flights, hotels and rental cars. And Orbitz is offering up to 50% off select hotels.

To be sure, booking last-minute often means overpaying — and this Labor Day weekend, the penalty for not shopping around could be particularly high. Average hotel rates and airfare are up nearly 5% compared with last year, according to Orbitz. And even those who do score a bargain may suffer a bit, as the skies and roadways are going to be more crowded than they’ve been in years: AAA Travel predicts that 34.1 million Americans will travel 50 or more miles from home this upcoming Labor Day holiday, up more than 4% from last year.

Still, for those determined to plan a late escape, we found five destinations with high deal-hunting potential. — By Catey Hill

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New Orleans

While the heat and humidity in New Orleans keep many summer travelers away, the Big Easy has a lot going on in late August and early September. There’s COOLinary New Orleans in August, when several restaurants offer a prix-fixe two-course lunch for $20 or less and a three-course dinner for $35 or less. The Southern Decadence Festival, also known as the gay Mardis Gras, also happens over Labor Day weekend. The best part: Airfare to New Orleans is down about 5% and hotel rates 6% from last year, according to data from Orbitz.

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Las Vegas

As in New Orleans, the scorching summer temperatures in Sin City (which, we warn you, can top 100 degrees) deter many travelers, but the great deals — and sprawling hotel pools — might persuade some travelers to reconsider. Roundtrip airfare from Los Angeles Aug. 28 to Sept. 3 is available for about $150, including taxes and fees. And rooms at some four-star hotels, including the Monte Carlo Resort and Casino and the MGM Grand, are being offered for around $100 a night.

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Cabo San Lucas

Airfare to Cabo San Lucas — a town on the Baja Peninsula in Mexico, known for its nightlife and fishing — is down more than 15% from this time last year (the nationwide average is about $418), and airlines are offering direct flights not only from Los Angeles, but also from New York and Chicago. Plus, because this is the low season in Cabo, rooms at many four-star resorts can be had for under $200 a night.

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Orlando

Bonnie Lee, the owner of travel agency Travel Leaders in Minneapolis-St. Paul, recommends Orlando for a Labor Day getaway. One of the area’s best deals runs $679 a person, including roundtrip airfare from New York City and a room at the Hyatt Place at Universal, she says. Attractions like Disney World make it ideal for families with kids, say travel pros. And area hotels are relatively inexpensive right now. For example, rates for both the Buena Vista Palace Hotel and Spa and Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club and Lodge, both four-star resorts, are about $100 a night.

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Bahamas

While experts say there are plenty of hotel deals to be had throughout the Caribbean, in places like San Juan, Puerto Rico and Aruba, the deals in the Bahamas stand out. Lesley Trudelle, a consultant for American Express Travel, recommends Nassau and Paradise Island in the Bahamas, especially the deal being offered at the Atlantis Paradise Island. This resort — one of the biggest in the area, with multiple restaurants, scuba diving sites and pools — has rates starting at $149 per night, and visitors can get as much as $250 in resort credit to use toward activities or spa services. Roundtrip airfare from Miami Aug. 28 to Sept. 3 can be found for under $300, taxes and fees included. See also: 10 things beaches won’t tell you

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Bahamas

While experts say there are plenty of hotel deals to be had throughout the Caribbean, in places like San Juan, Puerto Rico and Aruba, the deals in the Bahamas stand out. Lesley Trudelle, a consultant for American Express Travel, recommends Nassau and Paradise Island in the Bahamas, especially the deal being offered at the Atlantis Paradise Island. This resort — one of the biggest in the area, with multiple restaurants, scuba diving sites and pools — has rates starting at $149 per night, and visitors can get as much as $250 in resort credit to use toward activities or spa services. Roundtrip airfare from Miami Aug. 28 to Sept. 3 can be found for under $300, taxes and fees included. See also: 10 things beaches won’t tell you

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